DarkPoseidon6
Registered
So I'm new here but had to vent and get a seasoned opinion from everyone here after I put my two cents in about this, which I know has been beaten to death many times.
Maybe I'm old-school, but I don't see how tight pockets are better for the game. I've been playing pool (8-ball mostly with some 9-ball) for the better part of 30 years. I've played on all sorts of tables of all sorts of dimensions, pocket cuts, cloth, etc, and ran out my fare share over the years, won many games, blah, blah. And whatever.....
But I've noticed over the years that the trend is that so many players that own tables and even certain teams on league have been transitioning over to tables with tight pockets. Why is this? Is this really the right direction to go with the game?
I'm sure there are many players that will disagree with me, but in my experience, I don't think tight pockets are going to help the game and are really not for the American games, but rather it's something that lends itself to snooker or even Russian billiards. Those games are all about accuracy for the most part, and not necessarily about positioning AS MUCH as the American games (especially 8 and 9 ball).
Thing about playing 8-ball and (any rotational game especially) on a tight pocket table is that there is so much sacrifice for position in place of pocketing the ball, and the worst part about pocketing a ball with a deep shelf or tight pocket is the ultimate chance that the object ball will rattle in the pocket and sit there for the opposing player to have a freebe. You all know this, sure, but how can you just accept this as part of the game?
I've watched the Mosconi Cup for many years and have seen pro player's matches wasted by some nonsense pocket rejection. It's sad even on an amateur level because I've seen it on my home table that actually has tight pockets and on some public tables (certain bar teams tightened up the pockets at their place) and someone made a great shot and yet because there was spin on the ball, it got rejected and sat there in the pocket. How would anyone think this is even legitimate?
So many shooters nowadays think that the tight pocket is the way to go. I don't agree. And I don't even agree with that even on the pro level. You see that shot in this year's cup by Shaw that was clearly a made shot right down in the throat of the pocket and yet it was rejected because of spin on the ball to get position?
Even take Shane, (which is one of my favorite pro players). He said in TAR that the tight pocket table is really made for one pocket. I agree and feel that it's NOT meant for a rotational game, and even 8-ball at that.
What do you think?
Maybe I'm old-school, but I don't see how tight pockets are better for the game. I've been playing pool (8-ball mostly with some 9-ball) for the better part of 30 years. I've played on all sorts of tables of all sorts of dimensions, pocket cuts, cloth, etc, and ran out my fare share over the years, won many games, blah, blah. And whatever.....
But I've noticed over the years that the trend is that so many players that own tables and even certain teams on league have been transitioning over to tables with tight pockets. Why is this? Is this really the right direction to go with the game?
I'm sure there are many players that will disagree with me, but in my experience, I don't think tight pockets are going to help the game and are really not for the American games, but rather it's something that lends itself to snooker or even Russian billiards. Those games are all about accuracy for the most part, and not necessarily about positioning AS MUCH as the American games (especially 8 and 9 ball).
Thing about playing 8-ball and (any rotational game especially) on a tight pocket table is that there is so much sacrifice for position in place of pocketing the ball, and the worst part about pocketing a ball with a deep shelf or tight pocket is the ultimate chance that the object ball will rattle in the pocket and sit there for the opposing player to have a freebe. You all know this, sure, but how can you just accept this as part of the game?
I've watched the Mosconi Cup for many years and have seen pro player's matches wasted by some nonsense pocket rejection. It's sad even on an amateur level because I've seen it on my home table that actually has tight pockets and on some public tables (certain bar teams tightened up the pockets at their place) and someone made a great shot and yet because there was spin on the ball, it got rejected and sat there in the pocket. How would anyone think this is even legitimate?
So many shooters nowadays think that the tight pocket is the way to go. I don't agree. And I don't even agree with that even on the pro level. You see that shot in this year's cup by Shaw that was clearly a made shot right down in the throat of the pocket and yet it was rejected because of spin on the ball to get position?
Even take Shane, (which is one of my favorite pro players). He said in TAR that the tight pocket table is really made for one pocket. I agree and feel that it's NOT meant for a rotational game, and even 8-ball at that.
What do you think?